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Rutgers AD Pat Hobbs Suddenly Steps Down

Rutgers Athletic Director Pat Hobbs has unexpectedly resigned as head of Rutgers athletics according to multiple reports on Friday afternoon. Hobbs had been the Athletic Director for the past nine…

Pat Hobbs Looks at the crowd at SHI Stadium.

PISCATAWAY, NJ – SEPTEMBER 09: Athletic Director Pat Hobbs of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights watches the action against the Eastern Michigan Eagles during the fourth quarter of a game on September 9, 2017 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Eastern Michigan defeated Rutgers 16-13.

(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Rutgers Athletic Director Pat Hobbs has unexpectedly resigned as head of Rutgers athletics according to multiple reports on Friday afternoon.

Hobbs had been the Athletic Director for the past nine years, seeing the turnaround of the program as the Scarlet Knights made the transition into the Big Ten Conference.

While the reasoning behind the sudden resignation is not officially known, Brian Fonseca of NJ Advanced Media posted on 'X' that Hobbs' decision might be linked to a meeting with a cardiologist.

Rutgers Deputy Athletic Director Ryan Pisarri is expected to serve as interim athletic director, according to multiple reports. 

Last fall Hobbs spoke to Fox Sports Radio New Jersey about the turnaround of the athletic program, and his goals to see steady improvements in the infrastructure from renovations to both SHI Stadium, Jersey Mike's Arena, and the baseball and softball fields.

During Hobbs's tenure, Rutgers saw some great success. He hired Steve Pikiell to run the men's basketball program and watched Pikiell turn the program into a NCAA Tournament contender with back-to-back trips in 2021 and 2022. Men's Basketball currently owns the number two recruiting class in the country behind Duke.

Hobbs was instrumental in bringing back Greg Schiano as Head Coach of the football program. Schiano has busily re-instilled the pride and confidence the football program had under his stewardship in the early 00s. Last season Rutgers won the Pinstripe Bowl over Miami.

Other sports like men's and women's soccer, field hockey, baseball, and softball have all flourished to varying degrees under Hobbs' tenure.

Moreover, scarlet Nation.com credits Hobbs with overseeing "the construction of the RWJ Barnabas Athletic Performance Center, as well as the Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center."

Two springs ago, in April of 2022, Hobbs received a contract extension through 2028.

The more we have available on Pat Hobbs's resignation, we will bring it to you here on Fox Sports New Jersey.

Michael Cohen is the News and Sports Director at Fox Sports Radio New Jersey and Magic 98.3 FM, as well as a radio production assistant with Fox and Magic in New Jersey. He started his career in Somerset in 2018 initially as a news fill-in at WCTC 1450 AM, and soon moved up to higher responsibilities in the ensuing years, assuming News & Sports Director title in 2021Prior to his time with Fox Sports New Jersey, Michael was play-by-play voice for New Jersey Jackals baseball, and as well as play-by-play and color for the College of Staten Island basketball (men and women), softball and baseball. Michael began his career as a news and sportswriter with the Jersey Journal of Hudson County.